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The feasibility study for a rapid transit system on US Highway 287 stretching from Longmont to Broomfield suggests a plethora of improvements to make bus rides faster and more convenient along the travel corridor.
Boulder County, Broomfield, Longmont and other local and regional organizations partnered to analyze the feasibility of a bus rapid transit, or BRT, corridor spanning from Colorado Highway 66 in Longmont to US Highway 36 in Broomfield. The study, released this week by Boulder County, also highlighted future transit extensions from Fort Collins to Denver.
Phil Greenwald, transportation planning manager for Longmont, said that city supports the county’s planning efforts.
“The US 287 BRT will open up more frequent and reliable transit service between Longmont, Lafayette/Erie, Broomfield, Westminster and downtown Denver — much of which was cut due to COVID; as well as enhance the existing bus service north to Berthoud, Loveland and Fort Collins,” he said.
In 2014, the Regional Transportation District completed the Northwest Area Mobility Study, which identified the corridor along 287 as a priority for future investment due to the high likelihood of ridership compared to money spent. The improvements suggested by the study prioritize improvements for rapid transit and stations to improve bus travel times.
According to the study, traveling northbound via bus from Broomfield to Longmont without any improvements to transit would mean a 91 minute travel time in the afternoon by 2045. If the corridor adds queue jumps — which provide preferences to buses at intersections — and continuous bus-only lanes where possible, that travel time could go down to 49 minutes.
“Each of the evaluated scenarios shows that a better bus system and transit network will result from increased transit capital investments at intersections and congested areas of the corridor,” the study said.
On a typical weekday along the corridor, 120,000 trips originate in Longmont that average 10.8 miles in length, the study said. If just 1% of these trips were completed via transit, that would equal 1,197 rides each weekday.
In Broomfield, 60,000 trips originate in the area averaging 8.7 miles. That would be another 600 rides daily if just 1% were completed via transit.
Along with Longmont and Broomfield, the proposed bus rapid transit would go through Erie and Lafayette, along with the stretch of rural roads between Longmont and Erie. Touching urban, suburban and rural areas means that recommendations vary between places.
“One-size fits all recommendations are not appropriate for a corridor this long and diverse,” the study said.
Greenwald added that the overlap of the US 287 and Colorado 119 Bus Rapid Transit corridors, where planning is also underway, highlights the importance of the work to transform Coffman Street into a multimodal bus and bike corridor from Boston Avenue to to Ninth Avenue.
“It becomes all the more critical in balancing transit efficiency and congestion management,” he said. “In order for the bus system to work efficiently and to not create more congestion along Main Street downtown, Coffman is planned to be the busway with enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities to accommodate the additional buses coming to our downtown with these two transit projects”
The second phase of the study, focusing on Vision Zero safety and multimodal mobility, is expected to start this fall, the county said. It will also include a high level environmental review.
In the future, Boulder County said it will develop implementation plans for individual projects recommended by the study, like smaller investments at intersections, stations and throughout the network while looking for funding opportunities.
The public can see the entire feasibility study and provide comments through Sept. 16 at boco.org/287planning.
